Ch 14- Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders

Complete Chapter Questions With Answers

Sample Questions Are Posted Below

1. The nurse knows that which of the following are stages in Selye’s general adaptation
syndrome? Select all that apply.
A) Alarm reaction stage
B) Resistance stage
C) Coping stage
D) Exhaustion stage
E) Panic stage
Ans: A, B, D
Feedback:
The stages in Selye’s general adaptation syndrome include the alarm reaction stage, the
resistance stage, and the exhaustion stage. Selye did not identify either a coping stage or
a panic stage.
2. The nurse knows that which one of the following statements is true about stress and
anxiety?
A) All people handle stress in the same way.
B) Stress is a person’s reaction to anxiety.
C) Anxiety occurs when a person has trouble dealing with life situations, problems,
and goals.
D) Stress is the wear and tear that life causes on the body.
Ans: D
Feedback:
Stress is the wear and tear that life causes on the body. It occurs when a person has
difficulty dealing with life situations, problems, and goals. Each person handles stress
differently. Anxiety is a vague feeling of dread or apprehension; it is a response to
external or internal stimuli that can have behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and physical
symptoms. Anxiety is a response to stress.
3. The nursing student answers the test item correctly when identifying which one of the
following statements is true?
A) Anxiety and fear are the same.
B) Anxiety is unavoidable.
C) Anxiety is always harmful.
D) Fear is feeling threatened by an unknown entity.
Ans: B
Feedback:
Anxiety is distinguished from fear, which is feeling afraid or threatened by a clearly
identifiable external stimulus that represents danger to the person. Anxiety is
unavoidable in life and can serve many positive functions such as motivating the person
to take action to solve a problem or to resolve a crisis.
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4. The student nurse correctly identifies that which one of the following statements applies
to the parasympathetic nervous system?
A) It is activated during the alarm reaction stage.
B) It is activated during the resistance stage.
C) It is activated during the exhaustion stage.
D) It is commonly referred to as the fight, flight, or freeze response.
Ans: B
Feedback:
In the alarm reaction stage, stress stimulates the body to send messages to the
hypothalamus to the glands, which stimulates the sympathetic nervous system.
Sympathetic nerve fibers ìcharge upî the vital signs at any hint of danger to prepare the
body’s defensesófight, flight, or freeze. The adrenal glands release adrenaline
(epinephrine), which causes the body to take in more oxygen, dilate the pupils, and
increase arterial pressure and heart rate while constricting the peripheral vessels and
shunting blood from the gastrointestinal and reproductive systems and increasing
glycogenolysis to release free glucose for the heart, muscles, and central nervous
system. When the danger has passed, parasympathetic nerve fibers reverse this process
and return the body to normal operating conditions until the next sign of threat
reactivates the sympathetic nervous system. During the resistance stage of the
generalized anxiety syndrome, if the threat has ended, the parasympathetic nervous
system is stimulated and the body responses relax. If the threat persists, the body will
eventually enter the exhaustion stage when the body stores are depleted as a result of the
continual arousal of the physiologic responses and little reserve capacity.
5. The nurse plans to teach a client about dietary modifications to manage diabetes.
Teaching would be most effective if the client displayed which one of the following
characteristics?
A) Focusing only on immediate task
B) Faster rate of speech
C) Narrowed perceptual field
D) Heightened focus
Ans: D
Feedback:
Mild anxiety is associated with increased learning ability. It involves a sensation that
something is different and warrants special attention. Sensory stimulation increases and
helps the person focus attention to learn, solve problems, think, act, feel, and protect
himself or herself. Mild anxiety often motivates people to make changes or to engage in
goal-directed activity. Focusing only on immediate task, a faster rate of speech, and a
narrowed perceptual field are associated with moderate levels of anxiety.